Rolling chair platform with braking means



May 31, 1960 s. F. SIMMERMAN ROLLING CHAIR PLATFORM WITH BRAKING MEANS Filed Sept. 12. 1958 M I x 4\\\\ 2 x 2 J K, J a F w WM I I m. r .M x

Steve Simmerman INVENTOR. wad? nited States Patent 9 ROLLING CHAIR PLATFORMWITH BRAKING MEANS Steve Simmerman, 445 E. 6th St*., Sheridan, Wyo.

Filed, Sept. 12, 1958, Ser. No. 760,732

31Claimsr (Cl..155-.-30)

Many persons. often find themselves-in the unfortunate.

positioniof not'being 81316.): properly. walk due, to both temporary injuries such as broken ankles or legs. and.

permanent injuriessuchasparalysis. Of course, in the event of one of-the latter injuries, a; medically testedand approved wheel chair should be provided for the patient. These wheel chairs are considerably expensive and therefore a person having one of thetemporary injuries noted above is not likely to obtain a wheel chair during his recovery time. A simple broken ankle therefore'can considerably hamperan individual and prevent the individual from even conveniently moving' about his own home. Accordingly, the applicant has. developed a novel con struction utilizing a conventional chair which enables a simple and inexpensive, yet reliable, wheel chair to be built.

It is the principal object of this invention to provide a novel wheel chair construction which is simple, inexpensive and reliable.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a novel wheel chair construction which incorporates a simple manually operated brake.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a choice of platforms for supporting a conventional chair whereby a person may either rest his feet on the platform or a portion of the platform may be deleted so that a person may propel the platform and chair with his feet.

In accordance with the above stated objects below is particularly described the novel wheel chair construction including a conventional chair having four depending legs connected by crossbars. The chair is supported on a platform which has a pair of spaced parallel frame members fixed thereto. Each of the frame members has spaced indentations therein for receiving the chair legs. The platform dependingly carries a plurality of rotatable wheels which support the platform and chair. A lever arm is pivotally connected to one of the crossbars while a retaining member is fixed to an opposed crossbar for retaining the lever arm in its pivoted position. An aperture is placed in the platform and a brake arm is pivotally suported from the lever arm above the aperture. The brake arm extends through the aperture and terminates in a rubber tip whereby a pivotal movement of the lever arm will either extend the brake arm through or retract the brake arm from the aperture. Of course, the rubber terminal of the brake arm will therefore stop the rolling movement of the platform and chair upon contact with the floor but will allow a continual movement of the platform and chair as long as the lever arm is retained by the retaining member in such a position that the rubber terminal tip of the brake arm is not contacting the floor. A choice of platforms is ofiered whereby a person may either rest his feet on the platform in case of more serious injuries,

or a portion of the platform proximate the frontlofthe,

c a r. may e. le ed; s that -pers n y-p p t e chair with-hisfeet;

'Ifhese together-withpther objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent residein the details of construction and; operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accomp y n 1 r w ngs ormin aP her wherein ike 11 merals refer to like partsthroughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is;,a perspective .view of the chair and platform mp i insth s re ianr Figure 2 is an elevational side fragmentary view of the; h i and p atform;

s fi sa e t onalvi w ken substan ia ly lo the/plane. 3-3. of-Figure 2;,

Figure.- 4. is a. sectional view taken substantially along I the-plane of Figure 1; and.

Figurez5; is aplan view illustrating an alternate type of platform.

With continuing reference to the drawings numeral 10 generally representsthe, wheel chair comprising this invention and utilizing a conventional chair 12 having a seat portion 14, a back portion 16, legs 18, 20, 22 and 24, anclicrossbars 26 connecting. the legs.

In accordance with the teachings of this invention, a substantiallj rectangular shaped platform 28 is utilized preferably'haying a raised-border portion 30. Suspended from the bottom of the platform 28 are a plurality of caster wheels-32 which are fixed to the platform by bolts 34. A pair of spaced parallel frame members 36 and 38-are fixed: to thepl'atform' by a screw 40, preferably in such a manner that they abut the raised border 30. Indentations are formed in the frame members 36 and 38 and the chair legs 18, 20, 22 and 24 are inserted therein and glued to the frame members 36 and 38.

A lever arm 42 has terminaly fixed thereto by bolts 44 and nuts 46, a strap 48 which fits around crossbar 26 connecting legs 20 and 22. The strap 48 is flexible enough so that the lever arm 42 may be pivoted about the crossbar 26. A brake arm 50 is pivotally joined to the crossbar 42 at 50 and extends through an aperture 52 in platform 28. The brake arm 50 has a rubber coaster 54 aifixed to the end thereof.

A T-shaped member 56 is carried between the crossbar connecting legs 18 and 24 and the seat portion 14 of chair 12. It will be apparent that the lever arm 42 may be manually pivoted about the crosbar 26 and set in either the dotted line position illustrated in Figure 3 or the full line position illustrated in Figure 3 by simply resting the lever arm 42 on either the crossbar between legs 18 and 24 or the projecting portion 58 of the T-member 56. Further, it should be apparent that as the lever arm 42 is pivoted about the crossbar 26 the brake arm 50 is either extended through or Withdrawn from the aperture 52 so that the rubber tip 54 is either in contact with or out of contact with the floor 6%. Of course, the rubber tip 54 may frictionally engage the floor 60 so as to stop or prevent rolling movement of the chair and platform. If mobility is desired, the lever arm 42 is pivoted upwardly about the crossbar 26 so the brake arm 5G is brought upwardly through or withdrawn from the aperture 52 and the rubber tip 54 is brought out of engagement with the floor 60.

It is to be noted that a patient utilizing the chair platform combination of Figure 1 may rest his feet on the front portion of the platform proximate the front of the chair. With this type of platform, a second person would be needed to propel the patient or the patient would have to utilize his arms to propel himself and the chair and platform along the floor. An alternate platform 64 may be utilized which has an arcuate portion 66 deleted from the Batent M y 19.60

a would depend upon the condition of theperson using the chair-platform combination.

Aside from the utility of the device noted above in con nection with injured persons, the chair construction of Figure particularly lends itself to extremely satisfactory service as a mobile chair for a secretary or seamstress.

Numerous other uses for the novel wheel chair should further be apparent to those skilled in the art.

' It is of course apparent that none of the materials utilized in this invention are critical and though a wooden construction is generally contemplated, any other material having the proper strength could be just as satisfactorily utilized. 1 I

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A novel wheel chair construction comprising a chair, a platform, rotatable wheels, carried by and'supporting said platform, means afiixing said chair to said platform and manual brake means carried by said chair for halting a movement of said chair and platform, said brake means including a lever arm transversely pivotally supported from said chair, a brake arm dependingly and pivotally connected to said lever arm, an aperture in said platform, said brake arm slidably extending through said 2,988,671 M a a 7 4 aperture with said platform constittuing a guide therefor, a highly frictional surface fixed to the end of said brake arm beneath said platform, retaining means carried by said chair proximate the end of said lever arm remote from said pivotal connection between said lever arm and said chair whereby said lever arm may be retained in either of two extreme pivotal positions and said brake arm may correspondinglyextend through said aperture to either of two extreme depths. V r A 2. A novel wheel chair construction comprising a chair having four legs connected by crossbars and a seat portion defining a front and back of said chair, a platform, ro-

tatable wheels carried by and supporting said platform, a pair of longitudinally extending spaced parallel frame members fixed to .said platform, indentations in said frame members for receiving said chair legs, said legs attached to said frame members, a lever arm pivotally connected to one of said crossbars extending transversely of said chair beneath said seat portion, a retaining member fixed to an opposed crossbar for retaining said lever arm in a selected position, an aperture in said platform, a brake arm pivotally supported from said lever arm and extending through said aperture with said platform constituting a guide therefor and rubber tip means terminall carried by said brake arm.

, 3. The combination of claim 2 wherein a portion of said platform is deleted proximate the chair front.

References Cited in the file of this patent 

